“Reducing everyday inconvenience.” That phrase captures the political creed of young politician Je-seong Lee, who is active in Mabuk-dong, Yongin. He was born and raised in the neighborhood and began his political work while raising his child there.
Lee has a clear view of a young politician’s role. “It’s not enough to be the loudest voice; you must be someone proven on the ground,” he said. As president of the local sports association, he confronted residents directly; in educational settings he met with parents and children. As head of the youth division, he listened to the concerns of his generation.
He said he wants to pursue politics that links generations rather than stokes conflict, and that politics must address everyday problems with concrete solutions.
The biggest problem he experiences in the area is an imbalance between rapid development and everyday infrastructure. Apartment construction is proceeding quickly, but traffic congestion remains severe. The number of children is rising, yet sports facilities and childcare options are insufficient. Large development projects continue, while small, local complaints go unresolved.
His on-the-ground experience pushed him into politics. He ran an educational space called FromUs and discovered that education issues don’t stop at the classroom door. Transportation, housing, parks, safety, and administrative policy are all connected. Through his work with the sports association, he also saw firsthand how budgets and administrative decisions reshape local sentiment.
“I felt I couldn’t just criticize politics from the sidelines; I had to participate directly,” he said. “Politics is a system that organizes daily life.”
His remedy is to restore balance to everyday life. He made expanding transportation infrastructure to match the pace of development his top priority. He also called for improving education and childcare to accommodate the growing number of children.
“Residents should not be expected to accept inconvenience as the norm,” he said.
He emphasized how he differs from conventional politicians. “Residents feel issues like transportation and children’s education more urgently than abstract political ideology,” he said. “I will propose solutions grounded in fieldwork.”
/Kyung-hoon Lee, Reporter littli18@incheonilbo.com
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